Book Clubs Column by Julie Hale

This mesmerizing debut novel from Gold (who is the husband of author Alice Sebold) recounts the non-stop adventures of real-life magician Charles Carter. Set in the 1920s and '30s, when Carter outperformed every illusionist in America, including the great Houdini, the novel follows his rise to international fame during a career marked by risk and romance, sacrifice and danger. Filled with...

Gold's 'Sunnyside' shows many sides of the Little Tramp

I was wary of Glen David Gold's Sunnyside before I opened it. For starters, the publishers described it as a romp, too often a synonym for plotless. Secondly, it has a hat on the cover, a bowler unless I miss my guess. It's difficult to see a hat on a book cover and not think of Milan Kundera's classic The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which is hardly a novel you want to try and measure up to....

Writer and magician Glen David Gold has accomplished a supernatural feat of literary sleight of hand. His first novel, Carter Beats the Devil, is a marvelous work that portrays a performer and an era with a sense of wonder and mystery. Set in the 1920s, Gold's story follows the career of Charles Carter, a rich man's son who becomes fascinated with the world of magic. Turning his back on a...

Audio Column by Gregory Harris

er and magician Glen David Gold has accomplished a supernatural feat of literary sleight of hand. His first novel, Carter Beats the Devil, is a marvelous work that portrays a performer and an era with a sense of wonder and mystery. Set in the 1920s, Gold's story follows the career of Charles Carter, a rich man's son who becomes fascinated with the world of magic. Turning his back on a lucrative...